The FA Announces new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Plan

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The Football Association [The FA] has today announced its new three-year equality, diversity and inclusion plan called In Pursuit of Progress.

The new plan is part of The FA’s commitment, announced in January 2018, to ensure the diversity of those leading and governing football better reflects what we see on the pitch in the modern game today.

In Pursuit of Progress is a new strategy that will deliver initiatives primarily focussed around gender and ethnicity across The FA’s general workforce and leadership roles, including coaching staff across the England teams.

The FA’s three-year plan focuses on the following areas:

• The FA and Our Culture
• The England Teams’ Support Structure
• The Game’s Grassroots Workforce
• Inclusion Programme Across the Game

In 2014, The FA introduced English Football’s Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Action Plan and has continued to make good progress to improve equality, diversity and inclusion across English football. This includes the formation of The FA Inclusion Advisory Board [IAB], strict anti-discrimination regulations with robust reporting mechanisms and tough sanctions across the game, clear inclusion structures for every County FA with many progressing through the levels of the Equality Standard for Sport, and The FA meets Sport England’s Code for Sports Governance. As a result, The FA’s current workforce consists of 32% female staff, 13% staff from BAME backgrounds and has an average age of 37.

Today, The FA has set out a new, focused, challenging, yet achievable set of targets that have deliberately chosen to help drive faster and more meaningful change within the organisation. These changes will make The FA a more diverse organisation that will better reflect modern day football and society, whilst also helping to bring down barriers and inspire the next generation.

These new targets, which aim to be completed by 2021, initially focus on improving opportunities around gender and ethnicity, however The FA will continue to work with and support all under-represented groups, to ensure football is For All.

Greg Clarke, FA Chairman, said: "As the governing body of English football we want to lead the way in equality, diversity and inclusion. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it will also benefit the organisation greatly. A diverse workforce is an effective workforce and we want The FA to reflect modern society in this country. It will not happen overnight, but this is a significant step in the right direction to make football more equal, more diverse and more inclusive For All."

Paul Elliott, Chair of The FA Inclusion Advisory Board [IAB], said: "This new plan signifies The FA’s determination to accelerate the pace of change of the organisation and taking a real leadership role. Since 2016 The FA has more than doubled the number of senior women – including now having three women on the FA Board. BAME representation at The FA has also improved greatly over recent years, but we know there is room for improvement. This new commitment from The FA proves that they are redoubling their efforts to bring our great sport together."